But now there were no Indians to employ
the leisure of the unfortunate company of
regular troops, that grumbled away their days
within the humble fortification that now
surrounded the old blockhouse. Our only
enemies were bears and foxes which skulked
about the woods, and the only Indians who
sought admission to the post were those from
a little village about seven miles up the Green
Snake River, where a peaceable party of
Ojibbeways had taken up their abode.

In this dot in the wilderness, I and two
brother-officers lived the lives of anchorites:
only less contented, and by no means
forgetting the world by which we seemed very
nearly forgotten. Not but what letters reached
us—sometimes—during the summer, by an
occasional schooner coming up along the
lakes. It was during the other half of the
year, when the lakes were bound by the
universal fetter of ice, that we lived in unblissful
ignorance. Twice, however, during each
long, long winter, great excitement prevailed
at Blockhouse Point. It was when Indians,
travelling over the snow on snowshoes, were
expected to arrive with the ''express." Day
after day we used to walk for miles, hoping
to meet our bronze Mercuries; and, when at
length they came in sight, with what trembling
hearts we returned to the post, to await
the opening of their sealed wallets by the
proper authority, in ignorance of what
tidings " the mail " might contain for us!

On one occasion the news I got was sad
enough. My dearest friend was to be tried
by court-martial on a serious charge. He
had not written to me himself, but a mutual
friend informed me that, before another
month was past, Lowther's fate would be
sealed; and this month's delay had only
occurred in consequence of an important
witness being required from the lower province.
I saw at once that it was in my power to
disprove the gravest part of the charge,
although Lowther did not know it. Yet, before
the spring should come and the lakes be open
to enable me to reach head-quarters, the trial
would be over, and my friend, in all probability,
condemned.

The dreadful thought that he might be
sacrificed for the want of my testimony
haunted me. I could not sleep that night.
Many plans disturbed my mind. Could I
not write my statement, and send it by an
Indian express? Undoubtedly I could. But,
when I came to count, I found it would not
arrive in time, unless some one was ever at
hand to hurry the messengers on. Why
should not I be of the express party? I was
young, strong, active, and accustomed to
exertion. Surely what Indians could do, I
could do. There was not an hour to be lost.
At daylight I obtained leave from my
commanding officer—a mere matter of form—
for both he and my junior heartily rejoiced
at the prospect of Lowther's acquittal. Two
Indians were quickly obtained, and
everything was made ready for departure in. a few
hours.

We were a strange looking party. Our
object being speed, each carried his own
traps, and as few of them as possible. I was
clad in a beaver coat and fur cap. My kit
consisted of a blanket, a bearskin, and a
wallet to hold provisions. The two Indians,
who were brothers, were similarly equipped.
With rifles ready loaded for any game
that might present itself, and snow-shoes on
our feet, we set out.

In case we succeeded in getting to
headquarters at the time appointed, a gratuity had
been promised to the Indians (which I resolved
to give, whether won or not), and they
unmurmuringly pressed on, nearly the whole day, on
their cumbrous snow-shoes, scarcely giving
themselves time to cook the game we killed:
then, shouldering their packs, and starting
off again. They endeavoured to beguile the
weariness of the way by lively sallies, at
which they laughed till the silent woods rang
with their merriment. Chingoos (the ermine),
the younger brother, was the most joyous
as well as most active of us all; and,
however wearied he might be when we
stopped for the night, he laughed and jested
as he cut with his tomahawk the evergreens
which were to form our not uncomfortable
shelter, and be strewn beneath the bearskins
on which we slept. Shegashie (the cray-fish)
was our cook and firemaker; and the rapid
way in which he heaped on scores of dry
branches, and raised a blazing pile above the
snow, always excited my admiration.

When we had accomplished nearly half
our journey, we had not overstepped the
time we allowed ourselves; but the continuous
exertion was beginning to affect our limbs,
and, the perpetual glare of the sun on the
snow, inflamed our eyes. This we found by
far the greater hardship of the two. I shall
never forget the joy we felt, one morning,
when the sun remained hidden beneath
heavy cloud-banks in the east. Almost
forgetting our swollen limbs in the
gladness of being delivered from his dazzling
rays, we travelled merrily on through leafless
forests of gigantic trees; through tracts of
smaller trees, thickly studded with the larch,
the spruce, and the fir, whose dark foliage
gloomed almost black against the stainless
snow; through woods tangled with wild
vines, and fragrant with juniper bushes,
until at length we reached the shores of a
small frozen lake.

Once more we rejoiced that the day was
dim; for, in crossing lakes and rivers, we
always suffered most, being deprived of the
network of branches, which yielded us a
shade; sometimes almost impenetrable. But
our exultation was short-lived. An exclamation
of disappointment burst from the
Indians, and, looking up, I saw a few
large snow-flakes floating slowly through
the air.